


Eon

by mewgirl1995



Series: Wordplay [3]
Category: Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Light Is Not Kira, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Strangers to Lovers, Whirlwind Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-17 19:07:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13083432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mewgirl1995/pseuds/mewgirl1995
Summary: Sayu gets the opportunity to work on her first major case at the NPA, but she has to also work with two of L's successors. At first, Near seems entirely bent on irritating her, but Sayu quickly learns there's more to him than meets the eye.





	Eon

**Author's Note:**

> This is the third and last story in the "Wordplay" series. Since the word count ended up being considerably shorter than the others, I decided to post it as a one-shot.

If Sayu knew that she was constantly going to be swarmed by paperwork, she might have chosen a different job. She was barely twenty-four years old and already wasting away at a boring desk job. With a sigh, Sayu filled out page after page, hurrying to get it done before going home for the day. While there was an occasional crime to deal with, life at the NPA was much more peaceful than her father ever made it out to be. She leaned her head on her hand and yawned, brushing her hair back out of her eyes.  

"Tired already?"  

Glancing up, Sayu spotted her brother, who wore a slight smirk. "It's almost the end of the day you know."  

"I'm sure that's why you're yawning," he said, leaning against her desk. "It has nothing to do with that pile of paperwork." Sayu glared at him and he laughed. "Don't worry, it's not always like this."  

"Really?"  

"Occasionally we don't do paperwork." Light's comments caused Matsuda, who worked at an adjacent desk to snicker.  

"I thought this was supposed to be a dangerous job," Sayu said, continuing to work on the stacks of paper before her. "Apparently not."  

"You better knock on wood, kid," Aizawa said as he walked by. "Or we'll all blame you for anything bad that happens." Grinning at him, Sayu lightly knocked her hand against her desk.  

"You're still coming over for dinner tonight, right?" Light asked. 

Nodding, Sayu said, "I would never miss dinner with you and Ryuzaki." Light nodded and walked away.   

"Maybe we could go out to dinner sometime," Matsuda said, leaning back in his chair.  

"You're too old for me." Sayu flicked a wadded-up paper ball his direction and grinned as it struck his forehead.  

"So harsh," Matsuda said with a sigh. "I'm not even that old."  

Humming under her breath, Sayu returned to her work. While it was monotonous, she looked forward to her first big case. It was only a matter of time before Light assigned her to something important. The rest of the day crept by until it was time to go home. Sayu leaped up, grabbing her coat as she walked beside her brother. "So what's for dinner tonight?"  

"Something delicious," Light said with a smile. Sayu narrowed her eyes at him. He had the smile he wore whenever he was hiding something important. "You'll like what we discuss over dinner." 

By the time they reached Light and L's apartment, Sayu felt as if she was going to burst with excitement. What were they hiding from her? "Hello Sayu," L said. He sat at the kitchen table and also had a mischievous smile on his face. Hurrying in, Sayu pulled off her coat and tossed it onto the coat rack.  

"What is it?" Sayu asked, eyes bright with excitement. "What are we discussing over dinner?"  

"Right to the point," L said, pressing a thumb to his lips. "You are always like that." Light walked over to join them, kissing L before moving to grab the pizza off the stove. "We got your favorite."  

"What is it you want to talk about?" Sayu asked again. "Tell me!"  

"There's a case I want you to work on," Light said.  

With a quiet gasp, Sayu's eyes widened. "Really? Thank you so much Light, I promise I won't let you down and-" 

"There is something else as well," L said. "You will be working with two of my possible successors."  

From what Light had told Sayu, she had a vague understanding of L's successors. Like him, they were raised by Watari and another man named Roger. The children of Wammy's house were intended to replace L when he retired or in the worst-case scenario if anything ever happened to him. "Who are they? Are they coming to Japan?"  

"Yes," L said. "It will be the first time I meet them in person."  

"L can't decide between the two of them," Light said as he set the plate of pizza before Sayu. "So he wants to test their skills in action."  

"Of course," Sayu said. "That's perfectly reasonable." Looking to Light, she asked, "What's the case?"  

"You'll be investigating a case of human trafficking within the Yakuza," Light said. For a moment he looked worried. "Normally, I'd like for more detectives to work on it, but due to the sensitive nature of having L's successors work alongside you, it will only be you, Matsuda, and Aizawa." 

Nodding, Sayu grabbed her piece of pizza and took a large bite. "I won't let you down!"     
   

 

 

It was nearly a twelve-hour flight from England to Japan. With a sigh, Near carefully stacked the playing cards, building them into taller and taller towers. Mello watched him with an irritated look. "You should be more excited about meeting L," he said.  

"L is just another person like you or me," Near said.  

Mello scowled. "You act like you don't even want L's title." He crossed his legs and arms, staring out the window with an annoyed look. "What about meeting Light Yagami? Are you interested in that?"  

"The Chief of the NPA?" Near asked. He considered the question for a moment. "There's nothing special about him is there?" 

A grin crossed Mello's face. "Once again, you prove that you do not know nearly as much about L as I do." He pulled out a chocolate bar from his pocket and bit off a small chunk. "He's married to L. I found the records in Roger's office."  

"You were snooping in order to gather more information on L? How like you." 

Irritation crossed Mello's face. He turned away and sulked, staring out the window. Near glanced over at him with a curious expression. Was he really that intrigued by L? Near had wondered about the great detective, but he knew that it would be unlike meeting any other person. The only difference was that Near may someday hold L's position. The thought neither excited him nor worried him. It would be just another job. He continued stacking the cards. 

When the plane landed, Mello was quick to get up and hurry off the plane. Near followed more slowly, glancing around the terminal as he twirled a piece of hair around his finger. "Come on," Mello said. "We're almost there." Near continued to follow slowly. Tokyo was loud. He immediately didn't like it. Frowning, Near stayed close to Mello and Watari.  

"How much further?" Near asked.  

"We should be at L's apartment in just a few more minutes," Watari said as he climbed into the car. "You both will be staying there."  

Mello nodded. He seemed thrilled, eyes darting around as he tapped his fingers against his thigh. Near curled up on the seat, letting one leg hang down. He watched the buildings pass by, admiring their architecture. At least Tokyo was interesting to look at.  

As they approached the apartment, Near felt a glimmer of excitement. They were about to meet the man who they had so long strived to succeed. Watari approached the door first and knocked. The person to answer was not L, but instead Light Yagami. "Watari," he said with a smooth smile before turning to look at Mello and Near. With a slight bow of his head, he said, "It's a pleasure to meet you." Near immediately did not like him. He narrowed his eyes at the NPA chief. Everything about him seemed fake and forced. He was hiding something from the world.  

"Nice to meet you Chief Yagami," Mello said with a huge smile. "I'm Mello." When Near did not introduce himself, Mello nodded to him. "This is Near." Light stepped aside and gestured for the pair to enter the apartment.  

In an instant, Near recognized L. The detective sat perched on one of the armchairs. He stared over at his two successors with a thumb pressed to his lips. "Hello, I am L." Standing, L walked over to the pair of them. "Though I hope you both figured that out rather quickly."  

"L!" Another voice piped up. "These two are your successors?" Near glanced over to see a young woman race up to them. Her bright brown eyes glowed as she smiled at them. "Hello, I'm Sayu Yagami." She held out her hand to Mello, who immediately shook it, smiling back at her. "We'll be working together!"   

"My name's Mello," he said with a grin. 

Holding out her hand to Near, Sayu continued to smile. "I'm Near," he said and did not offer his hand in return. The woman looked a bit crestfallen as her hand fell back to her side.  

"Nice to meet you," Another young man walked over. "I'm Touta Matsuda."  

Another detective introduced himself as well, "Shuichi Aizawa."  

Near wondered why L would assign a team to work together with them. Though the answer seemed clear after a few moments. He was testing their ability to work with others. Near's eyes scanned over the three detectives from the NPA. Sayu was obviously the youngest and most inexperienced. Near deemed her most likely to be unhelpful.  

"You should rest up tonight," L said. "Then get working on the case tomorrow."  

Both Near and Mello nodded. They exchanged a glance, wondering how exactly L would test them with the case. In truth, Near didn't particularly care who won, though he knew that Mello had every intention of beating him. 

 

 

 

"This is Katsumoto Ito," Aizawa said, projecting the picture up on the screen. "He's the leader of the specific syndicate we're after. They're small but it's been suspected that they are involved in a huge string of recent kidnappings and human trafficking cases." 

"So this is essentially the Japanese mafia?" Mello asked as he kicked back in the chair, eating a chocolate bar. "Interesting." He grinned.  

Near's reaction was much more subdued. He hummed a quiet noise of indifference and stared at the screen while twirling a piece of hair around his finger. Sayu stared over at him. She was still a little annoyed at his refusal to shake her hand. Though Near didn't really seem the type to interact with anyone normally. He reminded her a lot of L. Her eyes drifted over his hair. It looked just like freshly fallen snow.   

"What's the plan then?" Matsuda asked, eyes bright with excitement. "Do we need to do a stakeout?"  

"I think we should gather some more information first," Sayu said. "Like where does Ito work and things like that." Nodding to herself with a smile, she continued, "Matsuda could tail him for a while to see where he goes."  

"That's a good plan for now," Aizawa agreed. "We don't have much information on Ito."  

 "Then we can create a plan to capture him," Mello said. "We'll lure him into some false sense of security and then-" He snapped his fingers and grinned. "We'll have him."  

It was at that moment that Near spoke up, "And if he realizes we're tailing him? We could scatter the whole organization and lose our chance." He glanced at the team. "We should use security camera footage to track his movements first. Once we establish a good idea of his movements we can tail him to gather more detailed intel." He stared directly at Sayu, eyes intense. She smiled back, a little unsure. "You don't have a lot of experience with police work, do you?"  

Insulted, Sayu angrily sighed and crossed her arms. "I have worked on plenty of cases."  

"You're lying," Near said. "I doubt you've worked on more than two major cases." He played with the piece of paper before him. "I bet the only reason you were assigned to this case was because your older brother is the police chief."  

It took a lot to get Sayu angry, but that one comment did it. "Excuse you!" She stood and her chair screeched as she turned to face Near with a furious look. "I have worked hard at the NPA and deserve to work this case just like everyone else!"  

"What a childish reaction."  

With a deep breath, Sayu shook her head and said, "What do you know? Have you worked many cases?" Near raised his eyes to meet hers.  

"I have studied them very thoroughly."  

Sayu hummed and shook her head. "It's not the same as actually experiencing them." 

"Maybe we should get back to the case?" Matsuda suggested with a nervous smile.  

To Sayu's dismay, her plan was thrown out in favor of Near's. She begrudgingly realized that he had a point, but the dismissal of her ideas still stung. Sitting in Light and L's kitchen, she angrily tapped her fingers across the counter as she ate a piece of cake. L sat in front of her, staring with a curious look. "What's bothering you?"  

"I don't like Near," Sayu said simply. "He's an arrogant jerk!" Shoving another huge bite into her mouth, Sayu continued, "My plan was perfectly fine without his unnecessary additions!"  

With a wry grin, L pulled the plate over to himself and stole a bite of Sayu's cake. "Watari has said before that Near doesn't work well with others. He's very blunt."  

"He's a jerk," Sayu repeated under her breath. She sighed and brushed her hair out of her face, pushing it back over her head. "But maybe I just need to reach out to him and be bit nicer." She smiled, nodding to herself. "It must be strange being thrown into an investigation like this."  

As if on cue, Near strolled into the living room. Like always, he wore the smooth silk pajamas. He had a towel over his head, drying his hair absentmindedly. It was Sayu's chance to try to make a connection with him. She stood and sent L a confident look. His expression was blank, though he smirked slightly back at her.  

"Near," Sayu said and the younger man glanced up at her.  

Before she could say anything, Near spoke, "Why are you here? Aren't we done working on the case?"  

Pressing down the irritation she felt, Sayu shook her head. "My brother lives here, you know." Near nodded and looked away. He had several pieces of paper before him and was cutting them into intricate patterns. "Anyway, I just wanted to say that I think you came up with a good plan." 

"I know, that's why I suggested it." 

Reminding herself that Near wasn't exactly the best at socialization, she ignored her growing annoyance and continued, "I look forward to working with you more." She sat on the couch beside him and he pointedly scooted away from her. In the background, she heard L snicker quietly. She glared at him before turning her eyes back to Near. "What are you making?"  

"A replica of the Tokyo Tower." His eyes darted to Sayu briefly. "I doubt you'd understand how beautiful its architecture is."  

It almost seemed like Near's only goal was to insult Sayu every chance he could. She gritted her teeth. "I took an architecture class in college, it was really interesting."  

"Oh." 

Silence fell between them, interrupted by Mello's soft footsteps as he joined them in the living room. He lounged in one of the armchairs, eating a candy bar. Sayu found herself staring at Near again. He sat with one leg dangling over the couch and leaned his head on his other knee. His face was furrowed in intense concentration and his hair slipped slightly over his eyes, though Sayu could still see how they were a deep shade of brown, much darker than her own eyes. It was in that moment that Sayu decided Near was rather beautiful. Before she thought better of it, she voiced her thoughts aloud, "You're really pretty Near, much more than most men I know." His eyes snapped to her and for a moment he looked surprised. Mello laughed, pressing the back of his hand to his mouth in order to stifle the sound. "I've never met anyone with hair like yours, it looks just like snow."  

"That's a weird thing to say," Near said. He turned back to his tower, which was beginning to take form. "Are you always this strange?"  

"I'm just trying to be friendly!" Exasperation slipped into Sayu's voice.  

"Well, I don't really want to be friends with you. Once this case is over I'll never see you again."  

"Fine then!" Sayu stood and angrily hurried towards the door.  

"You're leaving?" Mello called after her. He had a mischievous grin on his face. "I thought you were hanging out with everyone. We could all play a board game together or something like that."  

After putting her coat and scarf on, Sayu left, slamming the door behind her. "See you tomorrow!"        

  

 

 

 

It took a few days of reviewing the security footage to discover an unfortunate truth. Leaning back in his chair, Mello nodded to his computer. "Seems like Ito is quite good at avoiding cameras," He glanced over at Near with a smirk. "We haven't gathered much information." 

With a sigh, Near twirled a piece of hair around his finger. "It's enough to safely follow him without alerting him to our investigation." 

"It was a good idea," Sayu said to Near's surprise. She seemed annoyed with him previously. "We learned so much." She stood and walked over to one of the whiteboards. She gestured to a map, drawing small xs across it. "Ito visits these places most often. In order to not draw positions, we can switch off who is tailing him. Matsuda can start here, Aizawa here and so forth." Clearly, she had been thinking about the next part of the plan carefully. Near glanced over at L, who seemed to approve of the idea. He sat in the back of the room, simply observing and hadn't said anything for any of the meetings. Light was the same way, though he was not always present. Near watched the pair of them exchange a glance. Light looked proud of his little sister. 

"We have five key positions and six of us, so two of us will have to team up," Aizawa said.  

Immediately, Matsuda leaped to his feet. "I'll go with Sayu!"  

"I'll go with Near," Sayu said at the same moment. Near blinked at her. Why was she trying so hard to be nice to him? She walked over to him and smiled. "You'll have to wear something a little more inconspicuous though."  

"Why?" Near asked.  

"Because you'll stand out like a sore thumb in bright white. We need to wear darker clothes." She gestured to her dark jeans and jacket. "That way we're not super obvious. You could wear jeans and a darker jacket."  

"I don't want to."  

With a sigh, Sayu shook her head. "Why? Would it reduce your deductive reasoning by 40%?" She asked. Her voice sounded teasing.  

"No, it's just uncomfortable."  

Looking a little surprised, Sayu stared at him. "Huh, well something like that would be L's justification."  

"I'm not L."   

Despite his protests, the investigation team managed to get Near to wear nice slacks and a dark coat. He pulled at the sleeves, annoyed at how constrictive it felt. Both him and Sayu were stationed at one of the malls. According to their initial observations, Ito would often visit one of the clothing stores, likely scoping out victims. Sayu leaned against a wall, staring up at the sky. "I wonder if it will snow soon." She glanced at Near, who didn't respond. With a sigh, Sayu pulled her scarf up around her mouth, keeping her eyes to the ground. 

Peeking around the corner, Near spotted Ito walking their way. He tugged on Sayu's sleeve and pointed, "There."  

"Right on time," Sayu said.  

Both detectives stood to the side, seemingly chatting as Ito walked by. Then, Sayu turned and followed him, keeping her distance. Near trailed after her. Several times she stopped and pulled him to the other side of the sidewalk. "What are you doing?"  

"I'm keeping us out of the reflection of the shop windows," Sayu said. "Light taught me a long time ago that if you're being followed, you can use those reflections to see who's following you without alerting them." Near nodded. It made logical sense. Though he never planned on following a suspect ever again. He preferred staying behind the scenes as much as possible.  

Ito headed into one of the large department stores. Watching from afar, Sayu scowled as the Yakuza member walked over to the cashiers and struck up conversations with them. "I bet he's trying to figure out when they leave work," Sayu said, stepping through the racks of clothing. "If they get off late then they become targets." 

"Human trafficking is truly insidious," Near said quietly. "These kinds of monsters feel as though they're just providing another service." They paused by the dressing rooms as Ito made his way around the store, pretending to browse the clothes as he always did. Then, all of a sudden, he turned and began to walk back towards them.  

"Oh no." Sayu's eyes grew wide and she glanced around. "We need to hide."  

Spotting an open dressing room, Sayu shoved Near inside before the attendant noticed and hurried in behind him. Her arm was pressed firmly against Near's chest, holding him back. He stayed frozen in surprise, feeling his heart pound. Sayu's eyes were trained on the curtain and he saw her shift her hand onto her belt, grasping her gun. Seconds ticked by and slowly Sayu relaxed, dropping her arm down and letting out a sigh of relief.  

"I thought he realized we were following him," she said, grinning at Near.  

"So your first thought was to trap us in an inescapable position?" He stepped away from her, hand over his chest as he breathed in and out, trying to slow his heart rate. He still felt the faint feeling of warmth from where Sayu touched him. 

"I doubt he would have started anything," Sayu said. Her face was flushed red from embarrassment. Near narrowed his eyes at her. "What?"  

"You've never actually tailed anyone before," he said.  

Glancing away, Sayu pushed the curtain open and hurried back into the store. "Where did he go?" She sighed in frustration and pulled out her phone, dialing Aizawa's number. "I lost him," she said in a dejected tone of voice. "He should be heading your way soon though." She ran her hand through her hair and looked back at Near with a small smile as she hung up the phone. "I guess we should return to headquarters."  

On their way back, Near absentmindedly glanced in the store windows. He paused as they passed by one of the art stores and without telling Sayu headed inside. The store was much better stocked than the one back in Winchester. Near reached into his pocket, pleased he had brought some yen with him on their mission. Pacing around the store, he selected some sculpting clay and tools. As he turned he saw Sayu behind him with an annoyed expression.  

"You could have mentioned that you wanted to stop here," she said with a sigh.  

"I didn't think to."  

"Why not? We're supposed to be working together."  

"I would much rather work with someone more experienced."  

"Fine." Sayu spun on her heel and stormed out of the store. Near stared after her and couldn't help but feel a little bad. He quickly paid for his items and followed the young detective out of the store.  

A cold wind picked up as it became darker. Near fell back into step with Sayu after racing down the street to catch up with her. He did his best to conceal his quiet panting. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and her gaze softened. "Tomorrow we may have more success," Near said quietly. Sayu nodded. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and Near saw how flushed her face was from the cold. "You're fairly young aren't you Sayu?"  

"Twenty-four," she said quietly. "I recently graduated from the police academy."  

"It's obvious to tell," Near said. "You're very idealistic."  

With a quiet laugh, Sayu looked over at him. "How old are you then?" 

Twirling a piece of hair between his fingers, Near took a moment to respond. His eyes darted back to meet Sayu's gaze as he quietly said, "Twenty-two."  

"You're even younger than me."  

The streets began to bustle with people and Near stepped closer to Sayu. He'd rather remain by someone he knew rather than having to bump into strangers. He felt the warmth radiating from her arm and thought back to the dressing room. Back then, they stood close together. Her hair was in Near's face and he was hyperaware of how close she was. Near glanced again at Sayu, noticing how she stood a few inches taller than him.  

"Inexperience isn't always the worst thing in the world," Sayu said suddenly. "It's a fresh view on things."  

"That's one way to look at it," Near said.  

"I want to be friends," Sayu said. Staring ahead of her, she smiled slightly. "L is very important to me and if you are his successor then I want to be friends with you." 

"Be friends with Mello instead."  

"I'd like to be friends with both of you."  

Near choose not to respond, but he thought about Sayu's soft words for the rest of the night.  

 

 

 

"I think the investigation is going well," Mello said, staring over at Near. He glanced back and nodded, continuing to delicately stack the cards in front of him. "It's getting late, I think I'm going to head to bed soon." Near nodded again. He planned on staying up a bit longer. "Don't you have anything to say?" Mello asked with an exasperated sigh.  

"About the case? No." 

Rolling his eyes, Mello stood and walked off. As Mello left, Sayu appeared to fill his seat. She had come over for dinner and seemed intent on staying longer.  

"That's really impressive," Sayu said, staring over at Near's card tower. She picked up a few cards and attempted to stack them. They crumbled quickly.  

"You put your first four cards too close together," Near said and pointed to his own tower. "Look at mine."  

Nodding Sayu placed the cards again and they stayed when she put the fifth card on top. Near smirked as Sayu beamed at the cards. "I guess even an amateur can be taught!" She began to put the next two cards on and the tower fell. "Oops."  

"Keep your hand steadier," Near said. As Sayu set up the cards again, he reached over and gently poked her hand. "You're shaking."  

"I'm nervous that it will fall down."  

"Don't be."  

Once again, Sayu shifted her hand in just the wrong way and knocked her little tower over. Near sighed. She was a lost cause. "You're really artistic, being able to build towers so easily." She pointed to the paper tower of Tokyo Tower. "It's amazing." She smiled and asked, "What else do you like to do for fun?" 

That was an easy question. "Puzzles." Near placed the final cards at the top of his tower and looked at Sayu, meeting her excited gaze. "Cases are a lot like puzzles."  

As Sayu beamed at him, Near noticed the way her hair framed her face. It fell alongside her cheeks, trailing down slightly past her shoulders. She shifted, brushing her hair back behind her ear. Near felt his face grow warm. His hand slipped and he knocked the card tower over, watching as the hundreds of cards fluttered to the ground around him and Sayu.  

"Oh," Sayu said as the last card fell to the ground. "That's too bad." Near shrugged, hugging his knees close as he twirled his hair around his finger. What was that feeling? He stared at Sayu, who began to pick up the cards. "We could rebuild it."  

"It's alright," Near said. "I was finished." As Sayu picked up the last of the cards, she sat up, still on her knees and was eye to eye with Near.  

"It's not too late," Sayu said with a small smile. "Want to go on a walk?"  

"Going on a walk with Sayu means you'll be discussing your deep feelings." Near glanced back at L. He had forgotten that he was still sitting at the kitchen table. The detective had a fork in his mouth, grinning slightly at them. He cut into the cake again and took another bite. "Sayu uses walks to get people alone."  

"I do not," Sayu protested quietly.  

"You do," L said. "It's quite clever actually. Don't be so insulted." Pursing her lips, Sayu glanced away, blushing.  

"I'm going to go to bed." Near stood and moved past Sayu, walking toward the bedroom. He pretended to ignore the disappointed look on Sayu's face.  

 

 

 

On the fourth day of tailing Ito, he changed his routine. Sayu walked quickly, wondering what he was planning. She became worried as he turned to go down an alleyway. "He knows he's being followed," Near said. Sayu paused, but her companion continued forward. "He's trying to lose us."  

"Wait," Sayu said. "It could be a trap." He ignored her and continued into the alleyway. Grumbling quietly under her breath, Sayu followed him with a sigh. They were already in one of the worst areas in town and it was late afternoon. Near walked into the alley glancing around for Ito who seemingly disappeared. Immediately, Sayu's hand was on her gun and she drew it. "Near, get back here!" 

One Yakuza leaned over the railing, aiming right at Near. Heart leaping into her throat, Sayu raced forward, shooting the Yakuza in the arm. He yelped and dropped his gun, where it clattered to the ground. There was another Yakuza member behind one of the dumpsters. Sayu knew that if she tried to hit him she would probably miss, she didn't have a good enough angle. All of her thoughts were jumbled as she holstered her gun. Near. She had to save Near. Racing forward, she tackled him as the bullets sprayed across the alleyway. They tumbled together across the ground until they hit the brick wall of one of the buildings. Near's eyes were wide with fear as he stared up at Sayu.  

"You idiot!" Sayu snapped before quickly standing and aiming at the other Yakuza member. He leveled his gun at her, but she shot first, hitting him in the chest. Blood pounded in her ears as she heard footsteps racing down the fire escape. "Stop right there!" The Yakuza ignored her and ran to collect his gun, clutching his arm. As he grabbed it and turned on her, Sayu shot him, hitting him in the head. There was no more noise from the alleyway. Ito was long gone, having left his underlings to deal with them.  

Stumbling back, Sayu dropped her gun. She gasped for breath and leaned against the wall, sliding to the ground as hot tears formed at her eyes. She had just killed two people. They were dead because of her. Her vision spun as she stared across at the lifeless bodies. By her side, Near let out a quiet whimper. She looked at him and saw red staining his arm. He touched the spot and drew his hand away, staring at the blood.  

"Are you okay?" Sayu asked, brushing her own tears aside. She crawled over to him, peeking at the small wound on his arm. 

"A bullet grazed me," Near said, still staring at his hand. "I'll be fine." 

Reaching out to grasp his shoulder, Sayu choked out, "Why didn't you wait for me?" Near raised his head, eyes glancing between Sayu's hand and her face.  

"I didn't think the Yakuza would be clever enough to set up a trap like this. Ito purposefully lead us here."  

"Even common criminals are dangerous Near," Sayu said in an exasperated tone. "You could have died." 

"Yes I could have. You could have too."  

Taking another shaky breath, Sayu leaned her forehead against Near's closing her eyes. The world was still spinning. She had been warned over and over again how quickly a situation could spiral out of control, but learning about tactics was completely different from experiencing them. If she hadn't acted until even a second later, Near could have been dead. She could have lost him. Her grip tightened slightly on Near's shoulder before she slipped her hand down his arm, resting it on his hand. 

Something soft touched her cheek and she opened her eyes to see a concerned look on Near's face. He smoothed his thumb under her eye and then pulled away quickly, moving back away from her. Her hand touched the cold concrete as he pulled away. "You're crying. Are you hurt?" Sayu shook her head and stood, offering her hand to him. To her surprise, Near took it though he let go immediately once he was standing.  

"Let me call the others," Sayu said, pulling out her phone.  

"Sayu, what is it?" Aizwawa asked, answering quickly. "Ito hasn't come this way yet and-" 

"We walked into a trap," Sayu said, trying to keep her voice level. "Two Yakuza attacked us. They're dead now, but-" She broke off, biting her lip. "I lost Ito." 

"Where are you?" After describing her location to Aizawa, Sayu closed her phone and leaned against the wall again. Everything ached and as she looked down at herself, she saw her clothes were torn from rolling across the concrete. There were small scrapes and bruises on both her and Near, but both of them ended up relatively unharmed.  

Despite that, Light was furious. "What were you thinking?" He paced back and forth in the meeting room with his hand pressed to his forehead. "You've jeopardized this entire case! The minute Ito changed routes, you should have reported it, not just followed him yourself." Sayu bowed her head in defeat. "You could have been killed! It's frankly a miracle that you managed to shoot those Yakuza before they got you first!" 

"I know," Sayu said, eyes still downcast.  

"Now Ito knows for sure that we're following him. He may leave town altogether!"  

"I'm sorry."  

The rest of the investigation team remained quiet. At least Aizawa and Matsuda looked like they felt sorry for her. Mello looked annoyed and Near's expression was unreadable. Light stopped his pacing and stared over at Sayu with a frustrated sigh. "I shouldn't have put you on this case. You're too inexperienced."  

The words stung. Sayu fought back the tears the started to form in her eyes. It was her worst fear coming true. She wasn't cut out to be a detective. On her first major case, she had failed miserably. "I think Sayu handled the situation very well." Startled, Sayu raised her head and looked over at Near. He twirled a piece of hair around his finger and didn't meet Light or Sayu's gaze as he spoke. "It was my fault. I went into the alleyway when she told me to wait then she had to save me from the Yakuza." Mello was staring over at Near with a shocked expression. "For a sudden gunfight, Sayu managed to save both of us without incurring any major injuries." He raised his eyes to meet Light's. "It was my inexperience that put us in danger, not hers."  

With a sigh, Light dropped his hand and shook his head. "Whoever's fault it is," He said quietly. "We all need to be more careful."  

"Yes sir," The detectives echoed back. 

Relieved that she was no longer being scolded, Sayu sent a grateful smile towards Near. He nodded at her and looked away. Though he reached out and gently grasped her sleeve. Sayu's smile grew. She had figured out that Near didn't really like to be touched and it was an honor for him to even be that close to her.  

Taking the chance since the room was quiet, Mello stood and strolled to the front, hands tucked in his pockets. "I think even if he's caught onto us," Mello said. "We still have a chance to get Ito." He nodded to Aizawa and continued. "As we know from tailing him, he's been hanging around one of the clubs in downtown. I bet he's planning to make his move tomorrow night, that's when the club will be busiest."  

"So we infiltrate the nightclub and then catch him in the act?" Matsuda asked. "Alright, that sounds like a plan."  

"Of course we need to blend in," Mello continued with a smirk. "So I'll go. Matsuda looks like too much of a kid to be in a club." That comment garnered a quiet protest from Matsuda. "And Aizawa's appearance just screams cop." Nodding, Aizawa agreed silently. "Near would stick out too much, but I bet Sayu would fit right in." Surprised, Sayu tilted her head slightly to one side. "We'll need at least one trained cop with us, so you're it sweetheart."  

"Alright," Sayu agreed. She smiled back at Mello and was surprised to feel Near gently tug on her sleeve.  

"Is this really the best plan?" Near asked. "What if Ito recognizes the two of you?"  

"It's dark," Mello said, brushing off his concerns. "Come on, it's the perfect plan! You're just jealous because you didn't come up with it."  

"Why do you always treat things like a competition? You should take this more seriously."  

"This is literally a competition Near!"  

The younger man didn't look convinced. "L is evaluating our skills, not pitting us against one another." With a sigh, Mello crossed his arms and looked away. "We will need extensive wires and cameras set up on the both of you to make this work."  

"I agree," Light said. "Without proper surveillance, this would be a suicide mission. I'll see what I can come up with on short notice." He exchanged a glance with L, who nodded.  

 

 

 

The apartment was quiet. Near glanced over at Mello, who was sound asleep in the other guest bed. Earlier, Near had heard Sayu and Light's voices in the living room, with L occasionally chiming in. Since it was a quiet, he hadn't heard what they were discussing. Though he was sure that he heard the muffled sounds of crying. He continued working on the small sculpture in his hands, whittling away the last few bits of clay to form a small snowflake. There was still a light on in the living room. Shifting quietly as to not wake Mello, Near slipped out of the bed and set the snowflake sculpture aside. He walked into the room and was surprised to see Sayu was still there. She was leaned back against the couch, eyes closed.  

"You're still here?"  

Stirring slightly, Sayu yawned and glanced over at Near. "Oh, I must have fallen asleep." Rubbing her eyes, Sayu stretched. "I meant to go home earlier." Her eyes were bloodshot and anyone could have seen the dried tears on her face. Her expression was much more solemn than usual.  

"Thank you."  

Sayu glanced up in surprise and Near looked away, twirling his hair around his finger.  

"Thank you for saving me," Near said softly.  

With a smile, Sayu nodded. "Of course. It’s my job isn't it?" She stood and ran a hand through her hair. "Though I would have done it regardless." Gathering his courage Near looked back and met Sayu's soft expression. "I really like you." His heart was thundering in his chest.  

"Oh."  

"I know it's late," Sayu said quietly. "But would you walk me home? It's not too far from here and I enjoy your company."  

Nodding slightly, Near walked to the door and slipped into his shoes. Sayu followed, pulling on her jacket and scarf. As they left the apartment, Near reached out and took her sleeve, holding tight. "What do you like to do?" It was the normal response to Sayu's question from the previous night. If Sayu thought Near was strange for asking it late, she didn’t say so. Instead, she hummed thoughtfully.  

"I really like to go out to see movies," she said. "Have you ever seen anything Hideki Ryuga is in?" She laughed and glanced away with a hand to her cheek. "I used to really like him when I was a kid."  

"I've never heard of him."  

"Oh? Well, I also really like to read." 

Near noted how she kept repeating herself. He fought back a smirk. It was apparent Sayu was nervous. He asked, "Like what?"  

"All sorts of different books!" Sayu smiled and tapped her finger against her lips. "I have a guilty pleasure for those really terrible romance books and I also really like to read poetry." Near glanced around the street as they walked. Few people were out that time of night and the streetlights cast a dim glow. It was almost ethereal. "Light gave me 'Inferno', 'Purgatorio' and 'Paridiso' for my birthday. They were hard to read, but I really enjoyed them."  

"What's your favorite?" Near asked.  

" 'The Sound of Waves' by Yukio Mishima," Sayu said immediately. "I love that story. The prose is written so wonderfully and the story is really beautiful. I'll let you borrow it if you'd like." Near nodded. "What's your favorite book?"  

Unfortunately, Near did not have an immediate answer. He thought for a while, glancing at Sayu's curious face and then up at the night sky. " 'The Picture of Dorian Grey,' " He decided after a while. "I read it when I was younger and quite enjoyed it."  

"The premise of that book is pretty dark."  

"I think it tells a good story of how narcissism leads to one's downfall."  

"I guess that's true."  

After a few more minutes of walking, they arrived at Sayu's apartment complex. She reached over and pushed the door to the lobby open, glancing back at Near. Without meaning to, he tightened his grip on her sleeve. He wasn't ready to let go yet. "I don't remember the way back." It was a lie and by the way Sayu's lips began to curl up into a smile, he knew that she saw through it. She tucked a stray hair behind her ear and glanced away. The light cast a half shadow over her face, partially hiding her embarrassed expression.  

"Come on," She said softly, tugging her arm to pull him towards the door.   

Unlike Light and L's apartment, Sayu's was much smaller. It was a studio apartment. As they entered, a small cat laying on the couch raised her head and meowed. "Hi Ryu!" After slipping off her shoes and coat, Sayu hurried over to pet the little ball of black fur. "Did you miss me?" The cat purred loudly and rubbed against Sayu's hand. Near followed her hesitantly. "You can pet her, she's really friendly!"  

Nodding, Near reached out his hand. The cat sniffed him and then rubbed her head against his hand as well. She was softer than he expected. As he pet the cat, he glanced around the room. Sayu had decorated her apartment with various paintings along with a huge corkboard of pictures. "You have a lot of pictures of L," Near said, surprised. Once Mello asked to see a picture of L and Watari kindly turned him down, saying that L never allowed himself to be photographed.  

"Yeah," Sayu said. "He doesn't really like being in pictures though." She pointed to one of the pictures. "Here's my graduation! Oh and here's L and Light's wedding!" Her voice cracked slightly. "We're pretty happy in this picture."  

"What were you talking about with them earlier?" Near asked. Sayu was still turned away from him, she drooped her head, shifting her hair even more over her eyes. "Sayu?"  

Shoulders shaking, Sayu began to cry. "I'm sorry," She said, turning to face Near again. "I just-it's just I've never killed anyone before." Rubbing at her eyes, Sayu buried her face in her hands. "I know that I shouldn't be so upset, I know that I saved us but it's such a horrible feeling." 

"I think that it's something a person should be upset about." Near stepped closer to her, hesitantly toying with the corner of his shirt. "Any person who could kill someone and not feel regret is a monster." Sayu nodded, still furiously wiping her eyes.  

"Thank you for saying that." She forced a smile even as the tears continued to flow down her face. "It makes me feel less weak."  

"You're not weak," Near said quietly.  

The bed in the corner of the room was soft and smelt like strawberries. Near nestled his face into the pillow, waiting for Sayu to come back. The lights flickered off as she walked over. She wore a white nightgown. Her feet were quiet against the plush carpet. She floated across the room like an angel. Near couldn't help but stare at her. How had he ended up in such a situation? Sliding into the bed, Sayu laid on her side, facing Near and smiled. She reached out to take his hand and as her fingers brushed his, he jerked away. For a moment Sayu looked disappointed, but it disappeared quickly. "Goodnight." She closed her eyes.      

There was a reason Near tried to never get too close to people. As he stared at Sayu's peaceful face, he found himself never wanting to leave her side. He shook off the thought and closed his eyes. It was a ridiculous idea, he barely knew her. Under the covers, Near felt the warmth radiating from Sayu's body. He hesitantly stretched out his fingers and let them touch hers. For just a little bit, he would indulge in that close relationship.  

 

 

 

Warm sunlight shone in through the window. Sayu rolled over onto her back and blinked, staring up at the ceiling. She smoothed the hand over the bed. The spot beside her was still warm. She sat up, hair falling across her face. Near was sitting on the couch, meticulously brushing Ryu. Hugging her knees to her chest, Sayu stared over at him. Her heart beat steady in her chest. She wondered what in the world she was thinking. Sachiko would be shocked knowing that she invited a near stranger into her apartment. She glanced down at her hand, smiling as she remembered the feeling of Near's fingers against hers.  

"Good morning," Sayu said. She smiled over at Near, who raised his eyes to meet hers. His expression was softer than usual. "Did you sleep well?"  

"I did." Sayu wondered whether or not she was imagining the blush on his face. She stood, stretching as she walked into the kitchen.  

"Do you want something to eat? What do you like?" Near twirled his hair around his finger and didn't respond at first. "I have some fruit or I could make pancakes or something like that!"  

"I don't like really sweet things," Near said quietly.  

"I have some sourdough bread. I'll make some toast!"  

The apartment was quiet. Sayu walked over to her stereo and turned it on, humming along to the music. Walking back over to the kitchen, she grabbed a few pieces of bread and slid them into the toaster. She fished out some grapes from her fridge and placed them on the plates. Her phone buzzed from beside the bed.  

The text was from L. It said, "I assume Near is with you?"  

 Sayu texted back a quick, "Yes."  

The toast popped up and Sayu hurried back over to get it. "Here we go." She buttered the toast and set the pieces beside the grapes. Near watched her as she hopped onto the couch beside him and handed him the plate.  

"Thank you."  

Leaning back on the couch, Sayu kicked her feet up on the coffee table. Ryu walked over and settled in her lap, purring loudly. She ate her grapes and toast quickly, still feeling slightly hungry. Near picked at his food, eating the toast and only half the grapes. His hair was rumbled, several strands sticking up all over the place. Sayu reached out and lightly touched his head, waiting for him to jerk away. Near glanced at her but did not move. Smiling, Sayu gently smoothed his hair down. It was soft.  

"We should probably get going soon," Near said quietly.  

"Probably."  

As Sayu collected their plates and rinsed them off, one of her favorite songs began to play. She perked up and glanced over Near with a mischievous grin. "Near!" She called, eyes bright with excitement. He tilted his head back to look at her. "Come dance with me!"  

"I don't know how," Near said. "I've never danced."  

Holding out her hands, Sayu hoped he would accept her offer. "It's really easy. I'll show you how." Despite his nervous look, Near stood and walked over to Sayu. He hesitated before placing his hands in hers, barely holding on. Sayu didn't dare pull him any closer, fearing he'd change his mind. "Follow my lead." She gently led him around the kitchen, stepping lightly to the music. She pulled him and pushed him back, holding only his hands as they spun in small circles around the kitchen. "See, it's easy." 

As they danced, Sayu's nightgown swished around her legs. With a smile, Sayu looked to Near. Their eyes met and a very small smile crossed Near's face. "It is easy," He said. He soft grip on Sayu's hands tightened. The song blended into another, but Near didn't let go of Sayu's hands. She wasn't quite sure how long they danced, stepping lightly to the upbeat music. After a while, she slowed her steps and as if a trance was broken, Near let go, stepping away.  

"We should get going," Near said. His hand went to his hair, twirling a piece around his finger. "There's a lot to plan."  

"You're right." Sayu clutched her hands tight to her chest, feeling the flutter of her heart. "I'll go get ready."  

 

 

 

Sitting at the far end of the table, Near watched as Mello explained his grand scheme to the rest of the detectives. Sayu sat close by, closer than Near had allowed her before. He stared down at her hand, only inches away from his. Near ignored the temptation and continued stacking the dice in front of him. "So that's basically everything," Mello said, proudly puffing out his chest. "Sound good?"  

"I feel like this plan puts you and Sayu in a lot of danger," Matsuda said, shooting a worried glance at Sayu.  

"If it comes down to it, I'll feel more comfortable fighting Ito in close quarters," Sayu said. "I doubt he knows capoeira."  

"The plan should work," Near agreed quietly. "Well done Mello." For a moment, the other man looked surprised, but then Mello smirked at the compliment.  

"All we need to do is get in position," Aizawa said. "We have a couple hours to get the wires and cameras on you two then we can find a position to stake out the club and be ready if you need assistance."  

"I'm sure we can handle it."  

The plan fell into place. Ito typically went to the club around ten. Mello and Sayu would already be in place starting at eight. They would situate themselves with the area, find all the exits and entrances as the rest of the team waited nearby in a vacant office that Light managed to get control of. It was only a few blocks away. The investigation team could get there quickly in the case of things going horribly wrong.  

"Sayu's taking a long time to change," Aizawa said with a sigh. He tapped his fingers on the desk. "Someone should go check-"  

Near stood before he even finished his sentence. The room was stifling and despite knowing better, Near missed Sayu's presence by his side. He walked to the other smaller office, glancing around the empty NPA headquarters. Since it was so late everyone else had gone home. Without knocking, Near pushed open the door. Sayu jumped in surprise and whirled around.  

"Near, what is it?" She was just in her underwear. Blushing, Sayu gestured at the door. "Shut the door!" Near stepped inside and shut the door behind him. With a sigh, Sayu looked away. "I didn't mean come in and shut the door."  

"Those scars," Near said quietly, oblivious to her embarrassment. Sayu shifted and glanced up, meeting his gaze. Taking a few steps forward, Near's eyes darted across the roman numerals burned into Sayu's skin. "Those are from the Gema case."  

"They are."  

"The case file didn't say who the victim was," Near continued. Before thinking twice, he reached out to touch the scar on Sayu's chest. It was in the shape of a heart. He trailed his fingers over it. "I wouldn't have guessed it was you."  

"This is why I wanted to join the NPA." Sayu's voice trembled as she spoke. "I don't want anything like this to happen to anyone else."  

"How selfless," Near said. It was a quality he did not share. He trailed his hand across Sayu's unburnt skin, trailing his hand along her collarbone. She was soft and warm. His heart trembled in his chest. Raising his eyes, Near met Sayu's gaze. Everything in her expression was exposed. Near's breath hitched, his heart pounding as he realized how close they were. With half-closed eyes, Sayu leaned forward. Immediately, Near stepped back, dropping his hand to his side. "I shouldn't pry." 

"It's alright."  

Pretending not to hear the disappointment in Sayu's voice, Near turned to leave. 

"Wait, since you're here you could at least help me finish getting ready." Sayu held out a small tube of makeup. "The dress I'm wearing is a little revealing." She smiled. "I need to cover up all my scars."  

With a nod, Near took the tube. He didn't meet Sayu's expression as he helped to put makeup over all the scars. She didn't speak of what almost occurred. The black dress Sayu picked out had a low-cut neck and the sides were open, revealing much of her torso. She strolled back to the meeting room and all eyes were on her. Mello whistled and Near glared at him. "Wow, you'll fit right in."  

Sayu shrugged and pulled her hair up into a ponytail. As her pretend date, Mello wore a suit vest and dress pants. "It's a little restrictive," Sayu said. "But it'll work."  

Even through the wire, the music in the nightclub boomed. The team watched Sayu and Mello through both their own cameras and a series of security cameras in the club itself. Near occupied himself with finishing painting the snowflake, adding additional details to its original design. He glanced at the screen, watching with an annoyed look as Mello took Sayu's hand and led her to the dance floor. The touch of Sayu's fingers against his still burned in his memory.  

"You look upset." L noticed before any of the others. Though once he mentioned it, everyone else looked at him with invasive stares.  

"Why would I be upset?"  

L hummed quietly, taking a bite of his cookie. "I don't know, why would you be upset?" Near stared at the screen, watching with a bitter taste in his mouth as Mello put his hands on Sayu's hips and pulled her closer. Near gritted his teeth and forced his eyes back down at his sculpture.  

"Ito's entering the nightclub," Aizawa said. He pointed to the screen. "He's at the left entrance."  

"Got it," came Mello's quiet response. "I've got eyes on him."  

"Let's split up," Sayu said. "I can get him alone."  

Eyes wide in surprise, Near glanced to the others. That was not part of the plan. Despite that, Sayu pulled away from Mello and approached Ito, smiling at the man as she touched his arm. "Why hello there."  

"What a scumbag," Near said under his breath. His skin crawled as he watched the Yakuza run his hand down Sayu's arm. She feigned laughter at his quiet compliments and accepted when he offered to buy her a drink.  

"Good work," Aizawa said. "Get him alone."  

Watching with an intense gaze, Near spotted Ito moving his hand subtly over Sayu's drink. "He spiked the drink," Near said quickly, unsure if Sayu noticed. She pretended to drink it and drawing Ito's attention elsewhere, dumped the drink out in a nearby plant before bringing it to her lips and pretending to finish it off.  

"We have him," Matsuda said as Ito offered for them to head outside. 

The team watched in anticipation, waiting for Sayu's signal for assistance. They stepped outside the nightclub towards a waiting car. Ito grabbed Sayu's arm, which she responded to with a swift kick to his face. A brawl broke out and only a few strikes in, Sayu's camera went out. "Sayu!" Near sat up straight, eyes wide. 

"She'll be alright," L said quietly.  

Even so, Near's heart pounded in his chest. It wasn't until he heard Sayu's voice again that he was able to calm himself. "I'm okay," She said, breathing heavily. "He's down."  

"Let's move in then," Aizawa said with a grin. "Well done everyone!" There was a round of applause and Near leaned back in his chair, tilting his head back and closing his eyes. He had suddenly become very aware of his feelings.  

The investigation team reassembled at the NPA headquarters. With Ito safely locked away for the night, Sayu and Mello walked in, both looking proud. However, Near immediately saw that Sayu bore the brunt of the fight. Her dress was torn and she had a split lip along with a fresh bruise over her eyes. "It's not as bad as it looks," Sayu said. Near's worry must have been apparent. He tore his eyes away and walked off, tugging on his hair until it hurt. "Hey, Near, where are you going?"  

Once Near stepped out onto the balcony, he took in a deep breath and flinched at the sting of the cold air. "Go away." Sayu's footsteps halted behind him.  

"What's wrong?"  

"Go away." Every part of him was trembling.  

"Near-" 

"I hate the way you make me feel Sayu!" His voice echoed into the night. Behind him, Sayu drew in a sharp breath. "I don't want to feel this way. I feel so vulnerable." Stepping quietly, Sayu came closer. "This is why I don't want to get close to people. I don't want to feel like this." Even as he spoke, Sayu reached out and gently laid her hand on his shoulder. Her touch felt like fire. "Don't," Near said, but he didn't pull away. Sayu gently turned him around and he stared down at his feet, avoiding her gaze.  

"Please, don't keep pulling away from me." Hesitantly, Sayu reached up and touched his other shoulder. When he didn't jerk back, Sayu wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a hug. He leaned into her touch, closing his eyes. "Stay." He wanted to, but every instinct he had urged him to pull away. They were both going to get hurt if he didn't. "Please, stay with me."  

Nodding, Near hesitantly raised his arms and returned her hug. It was so soft and everything was warm.  

 

 

 

With Christmas so soon, Mello and Near decided to stay for the week leading up to the holiday. “The best Christmas tradition in Japan,” L said with a grin. “is the Christmas cake.” He set the giant sugar filled concoction before everyone.  

“That is a heart attack waiting to happen,” Mello said. “Cut me a huge piece.” 

“I don't want any of it.” Near scrunched up his face slightly. He had pulled his chair close to Sayu's and had his hand resting against hers on the table. He had his other leg up, leaning his head on his knee.  

"I want a big piece too," Sayu said. Smiling, Sayu took a big bite. Then she offered a small piece to Near. "Try a little?" He stared back with an annoyed look before gingerly taking the bite. "Is it good?"  

"It's not the worst thing I've ever had." Sayu counted his lack of insult as a win.  

Hurrying to eat her piece of cake, Sayu said, "Let's go out and walk around downtown! The lights are really pretty." She pushed her plate aside and stood, reaching out for Near's hand. "Come on!" 

"Alright." His hand was warm in hers as she tugged him towards the door.  

With their jackets on and scarves wrapped tight around their necks, Sayu hurried ahead, smiling the whole time. The lights sparkled all around them and she admired Near's childlike wonder as he looked around them. The streets were full of couples who also happily hurried along, admiring everything that Christmas Eve had to offer in Japan. As they headed towards the heart of downtown, Sayu stopped before a huge Christmas tree.  

"Look, isn't it pretty here!" She said, dropping Near's hand briefly to breathe onto her own hands. When she turned back to him, he was fishing in his pocket for something.  

"L told me that in Japan you exchange gifts on Christmas Eve," he said quietly as he pulled out a small sculpted snowflake. It was attached to a silver chain and sparkled in the lights.  

"Only couples do that," Sayu said with a hesitant smile. Near nodded, glancing away briefly before he gestured for her to turn around. Heart pounding in her chest, Sayu felt her face growing hot as Near gently pushed her hair aside and placed the necklace around her neck.  

Nearby, quiet music began to play. Sayu turned back to face Near and wordlessly held out her hands. He placed his hands in hers and let her pull him close, closer than when they had danced in her apartment. Sayu wrapped one arm around his back after guiding his arm around her waist. She held his other hand tight and pressed her cheek against his. She lead him around the small open space before the tree, clinging tight to that quiet moment.  

"You won't forget about me right?" Sayu asked quietly. "Even when you go back home?"  

"I won't," Near said quietly.  

"You'll call or write to me?"  

Near nodded. Before Sayu could say anything else, he drew in a shaky breath and said, "I need you." Surprised, Sayu smiled. She closed her eyes and nestled her head closer.  

After a long time, the bitter cold began to sting Sayu's face. Song after song drifted by, but she didn't want to let go. It wasn't until the music stopped, that Sayu even pulled her face back. Near stared at her with the most exposed expression she had ever seen. He almost looked like he would cry, but then he still had a smile on his face. Sharing his smile, Sayu leaned closer. Unlike before, Near didn’t pull away. She kissed him softly and when she pulled back, his eyes were still closed.  

"It's getting pretty cold," Sayu said quietly. "Maybe we should head back soon."  

"I don't want to," Near said quietly. With his eyes still closed, he continued, "Let's stay here. Just the two of us." With a nod, Sayu leaned forward and kissed him again. When she pulled back, Near was quick to pull her back and kiss her again. He dropped her hand and hugged her tight.  

Despite the cold winter air, Sayu felt warm. When Near pulled away, she took his hands in hers. "Come on, let's go to my apartment." He nodded, looking dazed as she kissed his hands.  

It was dark in the apartment as Sayu hurried to enter. She pulled off her coat, scarf, and shoes tossing them haphazardly onto the floor. Near followed her example. She tugged him over to the bed, kicking off her shoes along the way. "Sayu, I don't know-" Near broke off and his face looked red even in the dim lighting.  

"Neither do I." She gently pulled him under the covers and shifted in the bed, kissing him from above as she ran her hand over his cheek. Hesitant at first, Near wrapped his arms around her and gingerly kissed her neck.  

As they kissed, Sayu pulled back for a second to take a breath. Her heart pounded hard in her chest. The moonlight and Christmas lights sent scattered light in through the window. Near stared up at her and with a look of wonder quietly said, "You're beautiful."  

"I think I told you how beautiful you are on the first day we met," Sayu responded and she leaned back down again, feeling Near's breath against her face. She kissed him again, running a hand through his hair.  

"Not the way you are," Near said quietly. "You're ethereal." Blushing, Sayu shook her head. Reaching up, Near cupped Sayu's cheek in his hand and pulled her closer to kiss her again.  

The apartment was quiet and the night slipped by. Never before had Sayu fully exposed herself to anyone. She felt raw and bare and when the sun rose, she was still cuddled close up against Near. She woke to him softly stroking her hair before running his hand along her bare back. "I don't want you to leave," Sayu said quietly. Near didn't reply. He tucked his head against hers and hugged her tight. The warmth of his bare skin against hers sent a fire through her veins again. "I love you." She hugged him back even tighter. "Don't leave." Even to herself, she sounded weak. "Don't leave me."  

 

 

 

Music filled the room as Near sat on the floor. He worked meticulously at the small sculpture in his hands, carving the details of the face just right. It had been a few months since he and Mello traveled to Japan. To Mello's disappointment, L still couldn't decide between the two of them. Near did not really care. He wanted to get his mind off of the trip. He wanted life to return to normal. He wanted his heart to stop pounding every time he thought of her. She was a weakness that he never wanted.  

The door creaked open and Near raised his gaze to see Mello walk in. "Wow," he said. "These are way better than those dumb little puppets." Near narrowed his eyes at him as Mello picked up one of the little statues. "You're making angels?" The other man traced his hand over the statues large white wings before examining her face more closely. "You know who these look a lot like?"  

"What do you want?" Near asked.  

Mello slapped a stack of envelopes down onto a cabinet. "Oh nothing, just delivering your mail for the past few weeks. It seems like your frequency of letters has increased."  

"Just throw them away." Even to Near, his decision sounded callous. However, he had already made up his mind. He didn't need the weakness and attachment he found in Sayu Yagami.  

"I opened the newest one out of curiosity," Mello said and cleared his voice. " 'Near, you lied to me. I can't believe you could be so cold. Did everything we went through really mean nothing? I feel like I'm repeating myself over and over again but-' " Before Mello could finish reading, Near stood and ripped the letter from his hands, throwing it directly into the trash.  

"It's a federal crime to read other people's mail." He turned back to the unfinished statue.  

"Near, you're joking." Mello scoffed and gestured around the room. "You are kidding yourself by ignoring this. You have quite literally carved a dozen statues of her. This is not something you would do if you didn't care about someone!"  

"I don't want to talk about this."  

"You are in love with that woman!" Mello continued despite Near's annoyed look. "Don't fucking deny it. What purpose is ignoring her serving?" Near did not respond. He knew his answer would not please Mello. He was waiting for his feelings to go away. "She knows where Wammy's House is, you know? I would not be surprised if she burst in here to scream at you in person." With one final sigh, Mello grabbed the statue he had been looking at earlier and pocketed it.  

As Mello left, Near clenched his hand and shattered the statue in between his fingers. With a heavy sigh, he stood and collected the statues, placing them all in a box at the back of the room. He needed something else to distract his mind while there weren't any cases. He picked up a few decks of playing cards and set to work. 

 

 

 

It took two more weeks until Sayu boarded a plane with L and arrived at the gate of Wammy's House. "Are you sure about this?" L asked with a concerned look. Sayu looked out the window, clutching the snowflake necklace tight. "I know it's a little late, considering we're already in England, but-" 

"I have to," Sayu said. She opened the door and stepped out.  

"Alright, I can't come with you. Most of the children don't know my face." Sayu nodded and walked up to the gate. It opened automatically and Sayu hurried in. As she ran up the front steps and pushed the front door open, several children glanced at her with surprised looks. They all exchanged glances and whispered to one another, making Sayu smile nervously. 

A young man she didn't recognize leaned near the stairs. He wore goggles and looked surprised when he saw her. "Huh, Mello was right." He stepped forward and walked over. "You're Sayu Yagami, aren't you?"  

"How do you know that?" She asked. The man reached into his pocket and tossed something over to Sayu. She caught it and looked down to see a statue of an angel.  

"My name's Matt. Come on, you want to see Near right?"  

Sayu stared at the statue and quickly recognized her own face. Her bottom lip trembled and she hugged the statue close as she followed Matt up the stairs.  

"You know, that statue really does you justice," Matt said with a quiet chuckle. "At first I couldn't believe Near would land such a beautiful woman." He glanced back with a grin. "Yet here you are." Sayu said nothing. Her heart ached even more than it had for the past several months. A few of the children followed behind them, watching with curious looks. "Everyone has been wondering about the mysterious girlfriend of Near's." 

"There's nothing mysterious about me," Sayu protested and Matt raised an eyebrow. "What?"  

"No one has ever seen Near interested in anyone," Matt said. "As long as I've known him he's kept to himself, away from other people." With a wave of his hand, Matt continued up the next flight of stairs. "In fact, he went out of his way to avoid making friends. He's always been alone." That fact made Sayu frown. She looked down at the carefully crafted and painted statue. "But clearly he's obsessed with you. I bet he's struggling with his feelings." Reaching a door at the far end of the hallway, Matt gestured grandly and smiled. "Here you are." He winked at Sayu. "Give him hell."  

Pushing open the door, Sayu stepped through and tried to compose herself. She wanted to demand why Near had ignored her, why he had broken his promise, but she paused as she took in the sight of thousands of playing cards stacked into an intricate tower that spanned Near's entire room. At her quiet footsteps, Near sighed. "Go away Mello."  

"I'm not Mello."  

Surprised, Near raised his eyes and stared over at Sayu. "Oh."  

"Oh?" Rage rose up in Sayu as she glared at the younger man. "That's all you have to say? Why the hell have you been ignoring me?" Near glanced away, considering his answer. "You said you'd call or write or keep in touch somehow, but I haven't heard a single word from you and I know you're getting my letters since L gave me the address himself and-" 

"I don't need you."  

Stunned, Sayu stared at Near, losing her train of thought. He didn't meet her gaze and continued working on the tower. "What?"  

"I don't need you," Near repeated. "I made a mistake."  

"A mistake?" Sayu's hands tightened on the little statue in her hands. "I'm a mistake?"  

"A poor choice of judgment would maybe be a better phrase."  

Tears gathered at Sayu's eyes. "How can you be so cold?" She stepped forward, but paused, staring down at the rows of cards, unsure how to cross without knocking them all over. Near had walled himself in away from her. "I thought we-we had something."  

"We didn't."  

"But-" 

"You were mistaken," Near said, a bit more harshly before. "Now, please leave me alone."  

Biting her lip, Sayu tried to keep her tears from falling. Despite that, she let out a choked sob.  She was shaking as she raised her foot and pulled it back, about to kick in the tower of cards. However, she stopped and placed it back down. There would be no point.  

"This is the cruelest thing anyone's ever done to me." Sayu's voice shook as she spoke.  

"Surely, Gema burning numbers into your skin was far crueler."  

Gasping, Sayu clenched her hands. She kicked the tower of cards, dragging her foot across the entire row before her. Near looked up and watched the walls fall all around him. His eyes were wide in surprise. As the cards tumbled to the ground Sayu turned on her heel and rushed out the door, ignoring the scattering of the orphans who were listening. She shoved the statue into Matt's hands and hurried down the stairs with her hand pressed to her mouth. When Sayu returned to the car, she didn't say a word to L, but immediately buried her head in his chest and sobbed.  

"I'm guessing it didn't go well?" He asked, gently stroking her hair. "Sayu, I'm sorry." She didn't reply, continuing to cry until her eyes were dry.  

At the hotel, Sayu didn't eat dinner. She sat out on the balcony on the porch swing. Her eyes were dry from crying and she shivered in the cold evening air but didn't want to get up. Everything felt shattered apart. She felt so stupid for letting herself get caught up in something that wasn't even real. Near never felt the same way she did. Yet, she gave everything to him. Pulling her legs up, Sayu buried her face in her knees. She desperately wanted to go home and lay in bed, not getting up for days, but even her bed betrayed her. She couldn't lay there without remembering the phantom warmth of Near next to her. 

Warmth surrounded her as she felt a blanket being placed around her shoulders. "Thanks, L," Sayu choked out quietly.  

"I'm not L." 

Raising her eyes, Sayu was surprised to see Near standing before her. "What the hell do you want?" Sayu snapped. "Haven't you done enough?" She buried her face again. "Go away."  

After a few moments, Sayu heard the sound of quiet sobs and she raised her head to see Near crying. The tears rolled down his cheeks, but he didn't raise a hand to stop them. Quickly standing, Sayu let the blanket fall to the ground. "I didn't want to depend on you," he choked out. "I tried pushing you away. I tried ignoring you, but-but it hurt." Shocked, Sayu's eyes widened. "I've never been in so much pain!"  

"Why? What's wrong with depending on me?"  

Shaking his head, Near reached up and tried to wipe away his tears. "Because of this,"hHe whispered. "I've never cried like this. I've never hurt like this before I let you get to me." Shaking, Near raised his eyes and looked to Sayu with the most pained expression she'd ever seen. "I do need you! I love you!"  

"Then don't ignore me!" Sayu snapped as she felt her own tears trailing down her cheeks. "Don't throw me away!"  

"I'm sorry."  

"Are you?" Sayu asked, shaking her head. "Is this just what I should expect? How can I trust you again?" Near lowered his head, shoulders still shaking as he cried. Sayu brushed away her tears and stepped forward, hugging him tight. "Don't do this again!"  

"I'm sorry," Near mumbled as he buried his face against her neck. His tears were hot on Sayu's skin. "I won't. I promise." He trembled as he said once more, "I need you."  

"Okay." Sayu pulled him close, shaking as well. "Okay." 

 

 

 

In the end, Mello told L to choose Near. For him, it seemed to be a clear choice. "It's fine," he said even though he scowled. "I'll help with Wammy's House. I don't need to be L." The news gave Near a reason to move to Tokyo, which he suspected was Mello's real reason to give up the chance of being L.  

Japan was beautiful at the end of summer. It was warm enough that the windows were open, letting cool fresh air in. Laying on the couch with his head in Sayu's lap, Near looked up to see her smiling down at him. He sighed and closed his eyes, returning the smile as he felt her hand in his hair. "Let's go out to dinner tonight," Sayu said quietly. "Summer's almost over so we have to make the best of it!"  

"As long as I'm with you," Near said quietly. Sayu's hand paused in stroking his hair and she leaned down, pressing her lips to his. His eyes flickered open as she pulled away and he caught her hand to pull her back and kiss her again.  

Perhaps it was weakness that he needed her so much, but Near would always remember the way he felt when Sayu turned and left his room with that pained expression on her face. He had watched all of his defenses crumble with that card tower that Sayu knocked down and realized he couldn't push his feelings aside. As long as they were happy, that was what mattered in the end and Near had never before found such happiness until he met her. Despite that, not everything was perfect. Near was certain that Light Yagami hated him. L was quick to forgive Near's actions, likely because he understood them better. However, Light was unforgiving. He scowled at Near every time he saw him and rarely found a polite word to speak to him.  

"You don't deserve Sayu," Light had said more times than once.  

Truthfully, Light was correct. Near didn't deserve her. He stared up at her warm expression as she went back to stroking his hair. Though he swore to do his best to be someone that did deserve her. "I love you," Near said softly.  

With a pleased smile, Sayu reached down and stroked his cheek. "I love you too."    


End file.
